Whether it is the first signs of puberty or the transition to an older age, aging is a sore point for men. However, the physical changes over the years also offer some advantages. The first step is to know what to expect. Then it is possible to decide how to deal with the transformation of the body and make the most of this situation.
Steps
Part 1 of 2: Coping with Puberty
Step 1. Remember that puberty is a normal stage of growth
During this time, physical and emotional changes occur that may surprise you. If you start feeling emotions you can't handle, don't blame yourself - it's natural. Everyone feels them, albeit at different times.
Some boys can enter puberty before they turn 9, while others around 12. It is normal for this transition not to occur at the same time for everyone
Step 2. Be prepared for the fact that you are maturing physically
This is the period when you tend to grow the fastest. However, be aware that as you grow, your body struggles to synchronize with your eating habits. It is normal to gain weight and lose weight (or move from one phase to another) all the time. The body takes time to adapt to the new morphology.
- You will tend to buy new clothes. If you choose looser clothing, you will avoid going shopping more often.
- Appetite will also change in a surprising way. To promote growth, it is preferable to consume a lot of protein, calcium, folic acid and zinc. Try to eat lean meats, beans, fish, milk, cheese, yogurt, spinach, oranges, and wholemeal bread. Protein contributes to muscle development that has just begun.
- You will also undergo some changes to the genitals. The penis will get bigger, the testicles will increase in volume and the scrotum will begin to hang down.
Step 3. Realize that you will go through emotional changes
Puberty triggers hormones making emotions more intense, but also more unpredictable. You could go from euphoria to despondency for no real reason. The most important thing is to remember that this is normal. Seek help when you need it.
- By expressing what you feel inside, you can give vent to these emotions and find some peace. Play a musical instrument, applied in the drawing, dedicated to painting or write. Keep a diary. Use your emotions to give yourself an emotional boost to cope with puberty.
- You can also try talking about your state of mind with someone. Confide in friends. An adult can also be a good guide. Talk to your parents, a psychologist or family doctor. Seek the help of a professional, if emotional stress does not give you respite for several consecutive months.
- Physical activity can also help reduce stress.
Step 4. Prepare to experience a new interest in sex
In no time at all, you could go from a total lack of interest in sex to thinking about it all the time. It's normal. It should also be said that some aspects that we associate with sex are the result of inevitable biological functions that have little to do with arousal.
- For example, changes in temperature can result in erections. In fact, when you have an erection you may not necessarily be aroused. Likewise, nocturnal pollutions occur naturally during sleep.
- If you feel uncomfortable with certain sensations, try talking to someone older than you. Be careful when dating girls, as you are not yet fully aware of your needs and feelings. Most teens want company, but many confuse it with sex.
- Nocturnal ejaculations, also known as nocturnal pollutions, can be particularly embarrassing. Don't worry: it's not urine. You ejaculated and this is your body's way of telling you that you are physically ready to reproduce, as happens to menstruating women. Nocturnal ejaculations are a phenomenon common to almost all men.
Step 5. Pay more attention to personal hygiene
Puberty also involves more intense sweating. You will begin to smell stronger more quickly. If you have oily skin, it will tend to develop pimples. To avoid this problem, bathe or shower every day, taking care to wash every part of your body.
- To prevent pimples, avoid squeezing or scratching them, but use products for oily, sunlight-exposed hair. To protect yourself from the harmful effects of the rays, use a non-greasy sunscreen.
- If your skin is prone to pimples, you can find many over-the-counter products at the drugstore to help eliminate them. If they don't work, see a dermatologist; he will prescribe something more effective.
- Hormonal activity will increase sweating and body odors more than you are used to. It's physiological, it's not up to you. However, you can try to manage this by showering regularly, washing your armpits, and using deodorant.
Step 6. Start shaving
You will notice that a beard will begin to grow or hair will appear in the armpits and in the pubic area. At some point you will have to shave them or shave your face: even a nice beard needs care. You can start using the electric razor so you don't cut yourself. If you can, ask an adult to teach you how to use a manual razor.
Don't be frightened by the fluff that is popping up. It is a natural phenomenon that occurs during male development
Step 7. Note that the voice will also change
As you grow, your vocal cords also begin to develop. Sometimes the voice will begin to give in with high intensity sounds. Don't worry: this phenomenon will stop in a few months and you will have a different and deeper voice.
Step 8. Feel proud
You will probably feel a little disheartened, but think that you are about to become an adult. Everyone you know, including people you look up to with admiration, has gone through this phase. Do not forget that the difficulties you are facing are the first step on the path of growth.
- List all your favorite sides and remember them whenever you have doubts about your body.
- Surround yourself with positivity. Connect with positive people. Avoid those who always talk about their physical problems. Don't listen to magazines and TV shows that feature beauty standards that don't match reality.
- Play sports and eat well to keep yourself in good physical condition.
Part 2 of 2: Tackling the transition to a later age
Step 1. Change your lifestyle to prevent impotence
About 10% of men between 40 and 70 suffer from severe erectile dysfunction, while 25% suffer from milder erectile problems. From the age of 70 upwards, 49% of men suffer from moderate or severe erectile dysfunction. However, in the vast majority of cases this problem depends on life choices that can be avoided.
- Sedentary life, smoking and alcohol consumption are among the main factors that favor erectile dysfunction.
- Heart disease is also an important contributing factor to this problem. Therefore, you should try to balance the ratio of HDL ("good") and LDL ("bad") cholesterol. Try to lose weight, play sports, replace saturated fats with unsaturated fats found in olive oil, peanuts and canola. Eat more nuts and fish, cut back on butter and cheese. Eliminate trans fats completely.
- If you continue to have problems with erectile dysfunction, ask your doctor what medications can improve your situation.
Step 2. Train your aerobic endurance
Sarcopenia is a condition that complicates the development and maintenance of muscle tone in men. Typically, it occurs from the age of 30 onwards (resulting in loss of muscle mass). However, it is possible to slow down the phenomenon or stop it by following resistance training.
Use weights or do bodyweight exercises (such as pushups), which involve muscle strain until you get tired. Try to progressively increase the load you are using
Step 3. Prepare for hair thinning
About 3 out of 10 men have significant symptoms of baldness from the age of 30, and more than half suffer from full-blown baldness from the age of 50 onwards. Generally, it is a slow process, which progresses steadily over 15-25 years. There is no health risk associated with this problem, and many men get used to making simple cosmetic changes, such as by completely shaving their head.
- Alternatively, there are two drugs, Finasteride and Minoxidil, thanks to which it is possible to slow down or reverse the process of baldness. However, if you stop the treatment, the phenomenon will quickly resume.
- There have also been some surgical procedures on the scalp that can mask baldness. However, they are expensive and the results are variable.
- The most traditional option is to cover the head. It is possible to use a wig to recreate the look of the hair, but it is often not very convincing. Hats can hide baldness without giving an artificial effect.
Step 4. Deal with wrinkles
Both men and women face this problem as they get older. It is an inevitable phenomenon, but it can be slowed down. The sun is a factor that promotes skin aging, so avoid constantly exposing yourself to sunlight or apply protection when you go out. The beard also helps protect the face from external agents.
- Avoid washing your face more than once a day and frequently apply a suitable cream to keep it hydrated.
- Among the dietary changes you can make to reduce wrinkle formation, consider eating more soy, fish, chocolate, fruit and vegetables. Likewise, you should eliminate smoking.
- It is no coincidence that it is called restful sleep: the more you sleep, the more benefits you will receive. Studies suggest that it is useful to sleep on your back especially because in this way it is possible to slow down the signs of aging.
Step 5. Remember it's natural
Aging is an inevitable process, like the transition from adolescence to adulthood. Not everything is to be discarded. Men are often considered more attractive when they show any signs of aging. A recent study found that the male subjects considered most attractive are those who are 34 years old. Furthermore, age is often related to other rather rewarding life changes.
- For example, on average, men's annual earnings increase up to age 48.
- Happiness also tends to increase with age if you lead a more comfortable life, mature emotionally and establish closer family ties. In the average life of people this feeling drops precipitously from 21 to 25 years. The process slows down until it begins to increase again around age 50. From 50 onwards we gradually become happier, or substantially more than we were at the beginning of adulthood.
